Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has attributed the growing wave of defections by state governors to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the economic and governance reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, dismissing claims that the movement is driven by political pressure or desperation.
Governor Sule made this assertion while fielding questions during an interview on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, aired on Tuesday. According to him, the reforms implemented by the Tinubu administration have led to tangible improvements at the subnational level, prompting governors across party lines to align with the ruling party.
In recent months, several governors elected on the platforms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have defected to the APC. Among them is the NNPP’s only governor, Abba Yusuf of Kano State, a development that has further intensified political debates nationwide.
Reacting to criticisms and concerns raised by opposition parties, Governor Sule questioned why defections by governors often trigger panic and allegations of betrayal.
“Why do the political parties panic when governors are leaving, and their departure does not mean anything?” he asked. “Why does the governors’ departure become a betrayal or a problem?”
Sule revealed that the APC recently received its 29th serving governor with the defection of Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang. He added that the Governor of Taraba State is expected to be officially welcomed into the party within days, suggesting the trend will likely continue.
According to the Nasarawa governor, the increasing number of governors joining the APC is a direct response to the positive impact of President Tinubu’s reforms, particularly in fiscal federalism and revenue allocation.
“More governors are joining the APC because of the impact they have been able to make, driven by the reforms of President Tinubu,” Sule said.
He noted that states are seeing noticeable improvements due to increased revenue, which has strengthened their capacity to execute projects and meet financial obligations.
“If you go to every state in Nigeria, you will see major changes as a result of the improved revenue that these governors are getting,” he added.
Governor Sule maintained that the defections should be viewed through the lens of governance and performance rather than partisan rivalry. He argued that governors are naturally inclined to align with policies and platforms that enable them to deliver dividends of democracy to their people.
His comments come amid heightened political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections, as parties position themselves and seek to consolidate influence across the federation.
